Don't Forget
by oldincisions
Summary: What if Shane had never realized Mitchie was "the girl with the voice?" Will he ever find out the truth? Eventual Shane/Mitchie. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Alright, first chapter…a little short, but it's mostly back story, and I just wanted to get something out there. I've decided to write this story and another story, the sequel to "Get Back" (which will be called "Gonna Get Caught") at the same time, so be patient if updates are a little slow. The first chapter of that should be up sometime next week. Please subscribe to me as an author so you can read both, and send me your reviews! They mean a lot to me! Thanks!_

Chapter One

"Shane…" Mitchie started, tears welling up in her eyes as she caught sight of the boy standing in front of her.

"You were lying?" Shane's voice was flat, tainted by a hint of confusion.

"Yes, but-"

"Wow. You know, I'm used to people pretending around me-"

"I wasn't pretending," Mitchie interrupted. She wanted to explain, but she didn't know where to begin.

"I really thought you were different, but you're just like everyone else. You just wanted to be friends with 'Shane Gray,' not me. Trick's on me, huh?" Shane let out a sharp, forced laugh.

"I was just trying to-"

"Save it for your interview with Star Scoop Magazine," Shane spat. "I know I gave you an earful." He shook his head with disappointment and pushed his way through the nosy crowd that had gathered. Mitchie watched the first boy she'd ever really cared about fade off in the distance, no longer able to control the emotion she'd suppressed.

"Not here, you don't." Caitlyn grabbed Mitchie's arm as the hot, salty tears began to fall in heavy droplets. Whisking her friend away to the safety of her cabin.

Once they were back inside Mitchie threw herself on Caitlyn's bed, unsure if her low feeling would ever subside. She was unable to speak as her cries shook her body, but her mind was racing a mile a minute. Her lies over the summer had began small-she only fibbed about her mother's career to fit in with the wealthy crowd-but it had all snowballed out of control. Soon the charade had grown bigger and began to envelope more people until she no longer had a grip on it all. The summer up to that point had, for the most part, been an amazing experience. She'd come to Camp Rock excited to pursue her musical dreams, and becoming friends with Shane Gray was certainly an added bonus.

Mitchie had always been a Connect Three fan, and her first encounter with Shane had turned out to be a disappointment. His ego was huge, giving him the impression the entire world belonged to him. Something told her, however, not to completely write him off, and it was a good thing she had listened to her instincts. Shane had proved himself to be much more than the rock star image he portrayed: he was funny, sweet, intelligent, and Mitchie had fallen hard for him.

But now Mitchie would never know what could've come from her friendship with Shane, all because she had been desperate to fit in with the people she'd come to hate. She was realizing far too late that she'd gone about things all wrong, and he was never going to give her the chance to make it all right again. Because of that, she cried an endless sea of tears. She sobbed out of embarrassment, sobbed out of shame, and sobbed over the pain of a broken heart. She shook her head as Caitlyn tried to console her; she had no desire to talk. All she wanted to was to know how Shane was doing, whether or not he was as upset as her.

Had Mitchie been there to bear witness to Shane at that exact moment, she would've seen how furious he was. He was so angry, shocked he'd allowed himself to play the fool. His band mates had forced him to spend his summer at camp after he'd gotten their tour cancelled, a fate he'd deemed horrible-until two things changed his mind.

On his first afternoon at Camp Rock Shane had heard a voice, a song he'd never before heard. The music was so honest, so inspired, and it evoked an array of emotions he had numbed himself to long ago. Around the same time he heard the voice he met Mitchie, turning his life upside down. She was quiet, like a little mystery he wanted so badly to crack. The time with her almost made the bleak summer seem bearable, at least for a little while. She didn't look at him the way other girls did, didn't follow on his heels like a love-struck puppy. For the first time since signing a record deal Shane believed he had made an honest friend, but as he trudged through the woodsy campgrounds alone he felt as if he'd been sorely mistaken.

Shane had been betrayed more times than he cared to remember-a cruel side effect of the fame no one had bothered to prepare him for-but it didn't make Mitchie's lies any easier to stomach. It appeared his apprehensions about the summer had been right, and he was so done with it all.

"Shane!" Nate exclaimed as his friend burst through the cabin door. "Where have you been, man?"

"I'm going home," Shane stated, ignoring the question. He turned his attention to the wooden dresser propped against one wall, yanking its drawers open savagely to retrieve his clothing.

"I don't think camp is over yet." Jason looked with confusion at his band mates.

"It's definitely not," Nate agreed.

"Yeah? Well, I don't care," Shane spat. "I'm so out of here." He was packing his suitcases now with great swiftness, a talent he'd picked up from many months on the road.

"Shane, we can't leave yet; there's still a week of camp left. You have classes to teach, and we're all supposed to judge the Final Jam. What about Mitchie? And aren't you still looking for that girl you heard singing? We still have a lot to do here." Nate was all business, a fact that was grating on Shane's nerves at the moment.

"Didn't I say 'I don't care?' I meant about any of it. No, I don't want to talk about it, and no, I'm not going to change my mind. One of you needs to call for a car, because I'm leaving today." Shane just wanted to be rid of anything related to Camp Rock. He was too disgusted by Mitchie to stick around, and the fruitless search for the girl with the voice was no longer of any interest to him. The whole summer had been on terrible mess, and his band mates would now be forced to deal with the consequences. Shane snatched his now-packed bags and stormed out of the cabin towards the front of the camp to wait for his ride in peace.

The following morning Mitchie awoke where she had passed out the afternoon before. She rose from the bed and grimaced at her day-old clothes, horrified she'd slept for so long. Rubbing her tired eyes seemed like such a difficult task, her mind still too consumed by her depression to take control of her body.

"Hey…" Caitlyn appeared in the doorway. "I brought you some breakfast; I didn't want to wake you up." She offered a muffin cautiously to Mitchie, taking in the sight of her friend's disheveled appearance.

"I'm not really hungry, but thanks," Mitchie said weakly as she accepted the food. "Did I really sleep for that long?" She looked out the window at the bright day, wondering how the Sun dared to shine while she was feeling so dark and miserable.

"Are you up for class today? I mean, I'll totally cover for you if you don't want to go," Caitlyn offered.

"No, I have to go." Mitchie shook her head at the thought of skipping. "My mom would kill me if she found out I didn't."

"Well, let me help clean you up a little bit then." Caitlyn pulled a shirt from her dresser and handed it to Mitchie, running a brush through her friend's hair as she made an attempt to primp in a nearby mirror.

"Good enough," Mitchie sighed. She appreciated Caitlyn's effort, but she knew she still looked like a walking disaster. Normally she would've been at least a bit concerned, but it no longer mattered; she had no one left to impress. She let out a sigh and followed her friend out of the cabin, dragging her feet as the two traveled down the path towards her first class of the day.

"What's going on?" Caitlyn asked no one in particular. She pushed Mitchie towards the crowd formed outside of their destination. Their fellow campers seemed to be just as confused, looking all around as they clamored to each other.

"Boys and girls, please,." Shane's uncle Brown spoke, his voice commanding silence from the group. Mitchie felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she listened to the result of her conflict with Shane.

"Due to circumstances apparently beyond my control," Brown continued. "Connect Three has left early and will not be finishing out this week with us."

"What about class?"

"What about the Final Jam?"

Questions were fired off from the crowd, everyone wondering exactly what would become of their last week at camp.

"All classes instructed by Shane are cancelled for the remainder of the session. As for the Final jam, well, the details of that have still yet to be worked out. It will still happen, of course, but if I had to guess I'd say the prize of recording a song with Connect Three is off the table." The collective groan of disappointment was heard throughout the camp as Brown finished speaking. Every camper had dedicated their summer to preparing their act for the Final Jam, and now the ultimate prize had been taken away from them.

"You're all free to go do as you please until lunchtime," Brown stated, waving the group off. Mitchie looked over at Caitlyn and silently expressed her desire to slip away unnoticed, but it was too late for that. All eyes in the crowd were on her, several campers muttering angry words under their breath as they began to brush past her. It was clear gossip moved fast in the camp; everyone was aware this was Mitchie's fault. She and no choice but to try and hold her head up as she turned to escape from the scene. There were no more tears for her to cry after the previous night, so she made the decision to try to stand strong. As she made her exit from the crowd she noticed her biggest critic, Tess, was no where to found, but she had more important things to deal with.

Mitchie's decision to try and focus her attention away from her terrible ending with Shane had paid off. In a scramble to sweeten the loss of the recording prize, Brown chose to award the winner of the Final Jam full tuition the following summer. Mitchie had gained the courage to climb on the stage and sing her heart out, earning her a standing ovation from the crowd. She also gained her return to Camp Rock the next year, and in turn caught the interest of record label scouts that had been invited to observe the various concerts performed throughout the summer.

Suddenly Mitchie's life was a whirlwind; within two years she was juggling the tasks of working with a tutor to graduate high school and recording her first album. Things were taking off for her in a way she'd never imagined, but she couldn't allow herself to be completely happy. She had always been one to dwell on the past, and she never let herself forget about Shane, no matter what amazing things the beginnings of fame showed her.

"Mitchie Torres, just the girl I've been looking for!" Mitchie gave a small wave the to woman pointing to her. She was Alexandra, a record label intern hired to care for Mitchie's every need. It was a luxury Mitchie found to be absolutely ridiculous, but the label insisted upon it.

"Hey Alex, what's on the agenda today?" Mitchie looked idly at the platinum records hanging in the hallway of the label's headquarters, many of them belonging to Connect Three. She averted her eyes quickly, the smiling faces of her former friends too much to handle.

"Just one meeting," Alexandra explained as she browsed her clipboard. "I think you'll enjoy it. Sorry to spring it on you, but they're already here."

"Another meeting? I'm never going to get used to this." The music industry was a far cry from the world Mitchie had lived in before, and after six months of recording she was beginning to feel worn out. It seemed her meetings and promotions were never-ending; she'd been thoroughly educated on such responsibilities before signing her deal, but it was still taking some adjusting. Alexandra was always throwing her head first into things with no warning, making her constantly nervous.

"Mitchie, this one is different! From what I've heard, these are friends of yours." Mitchie glanced at Alexandra with confusion as she was ushered into one of the private lounges. The truth was she had virtually no friends-another delightful perk of a non-stop recording schedule-so who could she possibly be referring to?

"This has to be a joke," Mitchie sighed under her breath as the door swung open, revealing two of the last people she'd ever expected to see again: Shane and Tess.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: Thanks so much for all your awesome reviews! I'm trying to get new chapters up as fast as possible, but I'm switching between stories so check my other story (Gonna Get Caught) out if you haven't already! Please keep reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me!_

Chapter Two

A knot was forming in the pit of Mitchie's stomach as Alexandra shoved her into the room. There was no way she could protest, not in the presence of her current company, so she took a deep breath and feigned a smile.

"Hi Mitchie," Tess said in her fake, sing-songy voice. "Long time, no see!" She flipped a blonde lock of hair over her shoulder and returned Mitchie's forced smile, revealing two rows of perfectly straight, blindingly-white teeth.

"Isn't this great?" Alexandra said quietly. "I haven't really ever seen you with friends, so this'll be fun!" The icy glare Mitchie displayed was lost on her assistant who was too busy pushing her into the closest chair.

"Alright kids, we can get down to business now that we're all here!" The man that spoke up was Eric, one of the record label executives that had discovered Mitchie and offered her deal. "Let's say our 'hellos,' ladies and gentlemen." Mitchie looked around the large table, surveying all the occupants of the meeting room. She had been blinded by shock when she first entered, too distracted to notice that the other two members of Connect Three were also seated around the long table. Nate and Jason gave weak waves, and the awkward tension was very evident.

"So, what is this all about?" Shane asked, not bothering to give any sort of greeting. His question caught Mitchie off-guard-she had been certain he was a part of planning the meeting-but she was glad he was able to ask the things she was too afraid to speak.

"Wow, Shane," Eric replied. "You're usually not the one to be so concerned with business!"

"Yeah, well, Tess and I have a lunch reservation in forty-five minutes," Shane spat. His attitude made Mitchie roll her eyes, realizing that somewhere along the line he'd slipped right back into his old ways. Seeing him act so spoiled and selfish left her feeling a twinge of sadness, but she knew it wasn't her place to judge.

"Calm down, kids, I'll make sure everyone makes it to their other engagements on time. I thought it would be nice if our newest artist spent some time with our most successful band of the decade. You all went to camp together, so you're all about the same age, right? How old are you, Mitchie?"

"I just turned seventeen last week," Mitchie stated, unsure if anyone aside from Eric had the slightest interest in her. She thought she heard Shane murmur a 'happy birthday,' but her mind was still racing far too fast for her to decide whether or not she'd imagined it.

"See, you already have so much in common! That is the exact reason why the label wants the four of you-"

"Ehem." Tess loudly cleared her throat in the middle of Eric's pitch.

"-Excuse me, the five of you to go on a little promo tour for the month leading up to the release of Mitchie's album!"

"A promo tour? Ami really ready for that type of thing?" The question flew from Mitchie's mouth, and she instantly regretted it. She felt a blush burn onto her cheeks, embarrassed that she had shown a lack of confidence in front of the harshest critics she'd ever known.

"Absolutely! I wouldn't suggest it if I thought you couldn't handle it, and you'll have our boys to help you out." Eric motioned towards the members of Connect Three, all of whom wore stoic looks on their faces. Mitchie didn't know what to make of it all, but she was doing the best she could to mask her concern.

"W-what would we be doing?" Mitchie immediately kicked herself for stuttering.

"We're thinking a few appearances and concerts within the state until your album release party. If everything goes well, which I'm sure it will, this could be an opportunity for a nationwide tour." Eric handed a flyer with the tentative schedule to each person seated at the table as he spoke.

"Wow, Eric, it looks like you planned this all before you even asked us," Shane said in a snaky tone. "Why aren't our mangers here? I would think they want some say in this." He scanned the paper one more time before tossing it aside.

"Your 'people' have all been well-informed and agree that the label's plan is a good one," Eric assured. "So really, all we need is the approval of our stars!" The way he seemed to constantly coddle Connect Three's egos blew Mitchie's mind, and she wondered if they found it as ridiculous as she did.

"I'm not sure…" Mitchie had never made a decision about her career without her manager present, and that fact combined with the bored look on Shane's face were making her increasingly timid.

"We'll do it," Nate spoke up suddenly, as if he had read Mitchie's thoughts.

"We will?" Shane was nearly speechless, a feat rarely achieved.

"That is fantastic!" Eric gave a little clap. "That's all I needed to hear; you're all free to go about your business." He gave a wave of his hand to the rest of the table, ignoring the groans he received from Shane. The lead singer grabbed Tess by the arm and stormed out of the room with the rest of Connect Three on his heels, leaving Mitchie and Alexandra alone with Eric.

"This'll be a great little tour, Mitchie, honestly. You really couldn't ask for a better start in the business." What Eric was saying certainly sounded true, but Mitchie just wished it could involve a more accommodating set of people. No one in Connect Three seemed particularly interested in spending time with her, but she couldn't really blame them considering the way things ended at camp. Also, she was having a very hard time figuring out how Tess fit into the equation…

"Mitchie?" Alexandra tapped Mitchie lightly on the shoulder, jarring her from her thoughts. "Do you want to go do something? We have nothing scheduled for the rest of the day, and Eric says you should enjoy your time in public while no one knows who you are." It took everything in Mitchie not toe laugh at the idea, unable to believe she would ever receive the type of attention Connect Three got from the media. Most days she had to pinch herself just to make sure her life was really happening, that she actually had a record deal and an album releasing in just over a month.

"Sure, Alex, let's go." The two excused themselves from the room and began walking down the hallway. Mitchie was two steps in the lead, and Alexandra nearly crashed into her when she suddenly halted.

"Can you believe this?" Voices had just become audible from around the corner, and Mitchie thought it'd be best not to interrupt whatever conversation was taking place.

"It'll be fun, Shane, as long as you don't ruin it like every tour we've done." Jason was speaking, his comment coming across as hilarious and unintentionally harsh. Mitchie stifled a laugh, remembering the way he was always around camp to provide his innocent humor.

"Well, I don't appreciate being volunteered for things," Shane growled, obviously addressing Nate.

"What is the problem, exactly?"

"You know what the problem is," Shane snarled. Even from down the hall Mitchie could tell he was talking about her, but she knew she needed to face it eventually.

"Don't," Alexandra whispered as she shook her head, but Mitchie ignored the warning and took the steps to round the corner. She instantly regretted her impulsive decision, however, as the group fell silent at the sight of her. All eyes were locked on her, and no one seemed ready to budge until she broke the quiet. She took a deep breath and carefully chose her words.

"I didn't know about any of this, either; if it's not something you're all interested in, it's totally fine. I can't blame any of you for not being a fan of the idea." Mitchie set her sights on the closest elevator, prepared to leave with her head hung low until someone spoke up to stop her.

"Mitchie, wait." Nate reached out and grabbed Mitchie gently by the arm. "Don't let the attitude of our rock star Shane fool you; we think this little tour will be a nice change."

"You really think so? Honestly, I feel like you all think I had some part in this plan, but I definitely didn't. They're throwing all this stuff at me left and right, and I don't want you to hate me more than you already do."

"Oh no, we see how green around the gills you are, Mitchie; you couldn't possibly have dreamed this up on your own." Tess gave Mitchie a look that could only be described as 'bitchy,' but her remarks came as no surprise. She was the same typical Tess she'd been back at Camp Rock, displaying a sickeningly sweet, fake persona that faded the second she was out of earshot of authority figures.

"Sorry, Tess," Mitchie said slowly. "I'm a little confused about what you have to do with all of this; are you on the label, too?"

"Tess?? No way, she's just Shane's clingy girlfriend! That keeps her busy enough," Jason interjected as he burst out with laughter.

"Excuse us, but we do still have that lunch reservation," Tess huffed, having discussed the matter enough for her liking. She pushed past the group as she made her way to the elevator, making sure the sharp heel of her tall shoes came in firm contact with Jason's foot.

"Whatever guys, call me when you have everything figured out," Shane sighed, following Tess into the elevator just as the doors were shutting.

"God, I hate her," Jason cursed under his breath once the couple was safely out of earshot.

"Is she as bad as I remember from camp?" Mitchie asked, offering her arm to steady the Connect Three guitarist as he bent down to rub his now aching foot.

"Definitely worse," Nate said with a nod. "She latched onto Shane the day he dragged us out of there, and we haven't been able to escape her since." He grimaced at the mention of Tess, giving Mitchie a bit of delight inside.

"But that doesn't mean we haven't tried, a lot," Jason agreed through gritted teeth. Mitchie looked back and forth between the two boys, trying to find a tactful way to pose her next question. There was no easy way to ask it, but the thought had been floating around in her mind since the last time she had seen the band.

"Does Shane totally hate me because of what happened at camp? I mean, has he ever talked about it at all?" Mitchie finally spat out the question, but the quiet reactions she got from both Jason and Nate immediately made her wish she could take it back.

"Who am I kidding?" Mitchie stammered again. "I probably didn't even register on his radar. Forget I even asked, and please don't tell him I said anything."

"No, no, there's a story to tell about that," Jason confessed.

"But that's something we should save for another day; it sounds like we need to go pack!" Nate ushered the rest of the hall's occupants towards the elevator, and Mitchie was left wondering why he was so quick to change the subject. The two boys had admitted there was a story she needed to hear, but the question was when she'd finally get the chance to be told. She followed the boys out of the building, hoping she wouldn't have to wait too long to get her answers.

A week later Mitchie was standing outside of the record label building once again, this time with her bags in hand. She watched as several interns shoved the belongings of Connect Three into a large tour bus, wondering to herself why the boys couldn't do it themselves.

"Ms. Torres?" One of the interns asked meekly.

"Mitchie."

"Sorry, Mitchie. I guess it's my job to tell you that this bus is only for Connect Three; we're supposed to put your bags in the van." He pointed to a small, slightly dingy looking van a few yards away. Mitchie looked down the street and nodded, biting her tongue. She knew enough not to expect star treatment on her very first tour, but she still felt a bit jealous.

"Oh no, Mitchie can ride in the bus with us." Nate appeared behind Mitchie without notice, throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"I was told she would be riding in the van-"

"Is it not my bus? She's riding with us." Nate interrupted. The intern gave him one quick nod and then hurried away to take care of Mitchie's bags.

"I know what it's like to be just starting out," Nate continued to explain. "Tour after tour in empty clubs, driving around in a piece of crap van; I want to do what I can to help you avoid that."

"That's really sweet of you, Nate, but can I ask why? I mean, one of your best friends hates me, so why would you do me any favors?" Mitchie looked over at Nate with skeptical eyes. She knew there had to be some sort of ulterior motive, and she was right.

"Well, the two of us," Nate began, motioning to an oblivious Jason who stood clicking away on his Blackberry. "We hate Tess, that's no secret. But you, you're different; we liked you back at camp, and we like you now. The bottom line is, Mitchie, that someone needs to save Shane, and we think you're just the girl for the job."

"Oh, hell no! You've got to be crazy, Nate. I appreciate the thought, really, but it would never work. Have you forgotten how much Shane hates me?" Mitchie shook her head vigorously and gave a little chuckle at the ridiculous suggestion.

"If anyone knows Shane, it's me; I know what makes him tick. This is fool-proof, so just trust me! I'll give you all the details, but for now we need to hit the road. Come on, Jason!" Nate signaled for his band mate, and together the two opened the bus door and pushed Mitchie inside. She climbed the few stairs cautiously, letting out a small but audible groan as she realized she stood face-to-face with Tess.

"You just had to weasel your way onto this bus, huh?" Tess demanding, wasting no time. "You better stay far, far away from my boyfriend if you know what's good for you." She turned on her heels and stomped off towards the back of the bus, leaving Mitchie standing alone in awe. Between a rock star's jealous girlfriend and the awful scheme she'd just been pressured into, Mitchie could tell she had a long month ahead of her.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: Thank you all so much for reading! Please keep your reviews coming, they're what keep me writing. Make sure to check out my other story, "Gonna Get Caught," if you haven't already. Thanks!_

Chapter Three

"Do you have any queens?"

"Go fish!" Mitchie rolled her eyes, reaching into the nearby pile of cards. She'd been playing mindless games with Jason for hours, trying to pass the time on the seemingly endless bus ride.

"Do you have any sevens?"

"Jason, could we maybe take a break? I'm feeling kind of tired," Mitchie fibbed. The truth was that she was bored out of her mind. She had expected Connect Three to lead more exciting lives aboard their tour bus, but the place was honestly pretty dead.

"Aw, are you sure you don't want to play a little more?" Jason asked, the look in his eyes telling Mitchie the bus had no better options for her. She took a quick glance at her surroundings and came to the conclusion that Jason's eyes told the truth. Nate was perched in the corner scribbling away in his notebook of songs, while Shane and Tess sat intertwined on a couch, flipping aimlessly through channels on the wall-mounted television.

"I promise I'll finish the game later, okay?" Mitchie set her handful of cards down gently on the table and then rose to her feet, shuffling towards the back of the bus to her bunk.

"Maybe agreeing to all of this wasn't my best idea," Mitchie said to herself as she stared at the very small quarters she'd been assigned. The thought of sleeping in the tiny bunk creeped her out-it reminded her of a coffin. She couldn't even sit upright on the bed comfortably, forced to hunch forward slightly in order to fit.

"You know, those weren't really designed as benches," Nate informed as he appeared in front of Mitchie.

"Yeah, well, I don't have a lot of options around here."

"There's a giant couch out there! Why would you want to hide back here?" Nate motioned towards the front of the bus with a puzzled look.

"Did you miss the fact that Shane and Tess are sitting right in the middle of it?" Mitchie scoffed. "I think this is the safest place for me right now."

"Good point," Nate agreed. "So I'll just take this as an opportunity to talk to you a little more about the plan." He flashed a grin and took a seat beside Mitchie without waiting for an invitation.

"About that, Nate, I'm not sure-"

"Trust me, it'll be fine! You don't even know what I have in mind."

"That's the point, Nate! I agreed to take part in this, but I have no idea what I got myself into." Mitchie threw her hands up in frustration. Her life felt like it was spinning out of control, the stress of her new career only heightened by Nate's scheme.

"I've got everything all sorted out, and it's going to be a piece of cake!" Nate tapped the notebook in his hands. "I've got it all broken down in simple steps, so you don't have to worry about anything."

"Except for the whole problem that is Tess…. She'd have my head if she found out about this. And I'm not even going to think about Shane, but I know he wants nothing to do with me." Mitchie shook her head and let out a sigh.

"Don't be so sure! Shane might be a real jerk on the outside, but I know you've seen the other side of him. Honestly, I don't think Tess has even see that; you've got the advantage here." Nate's words sounded so sincere, like he truly believed success was possible with his plan. There were so many questions Mitchie had, especially about why Tess was even with Shane in the first place, but she knew Nate was too focused to on his plan to give her the answers.

"Fine, I'll try your first step, but only because I owe you for saving me from that awful van," Mitchie finally caved. "But if anything goes even a little bit wrong, you can forget about it."

"Of course!" Nate exclaimed, throwing his arms around Mitchie and giving her a squeeze.

"Are you going to tell me what the first part of your little plan is?" Mitchie sighed, shrugging off Nate's embrace until only one loose arm remained around her shoulder.

"Oh, yeah, absolutely! But Jason should be a part of this, too. Jason, get back here! We need you!" Nate yelled out in the direction of the front of the bus. The sound of feet could be heard shuffling down the hallway before Jason appeared in front of the bunk.

"More cards?" Jason asked hopefully, the deck tucked safely in his front jeans pocket.

"Not yet, man." Nate shook his head. "Mitchie agreed to try out the first part of our plan."

"Sweet!" Jason hopped onto the bunk, the three of them crammed together like sardines in a can.

"Why are you both so excited about this?" Mitchie questioned from her spot in between the two boys.

"We all stand to gain from this," Nate explained. "You get the guy, we get out friend back, and we all get away from Tess; it's an all-around good plan."

"Yeah, well, you're all talk, but I still don't know what this 'plan' is. Besides, what makes you think Shane is the guy I want??" Mitchie wondered if she was really that obvious.

"We see the way you look at Shane when you think no one is watching." Nate and Jason nodded together. "The way you were so into him at camp an dhow it just ended with no closure? You don't get over that." Yep, Mitchie was really that obvious.

"Whatever, just spit it out already: what do you want me to do?"

"Talk to Shane," Jason stated.

"Talk to him?? Really, guys, that's the big plan you've been obsessing over?" Mitchie couldn't believe such drama had been wasted on that.

"Mitchie, you need to get your foot in the door! It might seem like nothing, but it's a huge step. Just find him when the time is right-"

"When Tess isn't around," Jason offered.

"-And test the waters. We need to see his reaction so we know how to act next." Nate mad it all sound so simple, but he obviously had no idea what he was asking.

"No, it definitely doesn't seem like 'nothing;' it seems impossible! What am I even supposed to say?!"

"It'll come to you in the moment, trust me. Besides, you don't want it to sound scripted." The trio sat in silence for a long minute as Mitchie contemplated what was being asked of her. There was a part of her that wanted to say 'no,' push her new friends away and run to the van she was supposed to be in a the moment. However, there was another part of her that felt willing to take the risk. Nate had been right when he had spoken of Mitchie's lingering feelings, and she was feeling braver than she ever had.

"So, you guys really think this'll work? I'm nervous," Mitchie sighed at last, resting her head on Jason's shoulder.

"We knew we could count on you, Mitchie!" Nate pumped his free arm in the air triumphantly as he realized Mitchie was giving her complete acceptance of the plan.

"Wow, Mitchie!" Mitchie's gaze shot forward as she heard a voice say her name.

"Oh, hey, Tess," Nate snarled, the disdain evident in his voice.

"Both guitarists at the same time? Forget what I said earlier; it looks like you've got your hands full." Tess said as she eyed Mitchie's position, the way Nate's arm was draped around her as she leaned against Jason. Tess gave the three a cruel grin before turning and heading back to the front of the bus.

"See, isn't that reason enough to try and get rid of her?" Nate asked once Tess was out of earshot, wrinkling his face up in disgust.

"Oh, no, I had plenty of reasons; I could've done without that one," Mitchie groaned. "Now get out of my bed!" She grabbed Nate and Jason by the shirts, roughly pushing both boys out of her bunk.

"Tomorrow, phase one!" Nate exclaimed, pointing at Mitchie as he pulled his band mate away.

"Yeah, tomorrow! Wait, what's tomorrow?" Mitchie stifled her laughter, realizing Jason was the same clueless guy she'd met at Camp Rock.

"Tomorrow," Mitchie whispered to herself as she laid back and pulled the curtain tightly shut. She wasn't sure she was even close to being ready for the task of speaking to Shane, but she had no other choice. One thing she'd learned in her short life was the importance of telling the truth and keeping her word, and there had never been a better time for her to prove that to the world.

The following day came quickly, leaving Mitchie no time to prepare for her chat with Shane. By the time she awoke the bus had reached it's destination for the day, and she was whisked off without a chance to talk to Nate or Jason for support.

"We've got a very busy day ahead of us," Alexandra explained to a still-sleepy Mitchie, the phrase all-too familiar.

"What's going on?" Mitchie asked between yawns.

"Outfit fittings, an extra-long rehearsal, a couple phone interviews," Alexandra rattled off engagements from her trusty clipboard. "And then a late dinner with Connect Three." Mitchie let out a deep breath, thinking maybe the world was working in her favor: it didn't seem like she'd have a moment alone with Shane all day.

"Well, alright, let's go get started!"

Mitchie survived the jam-packed morning, trying on outfit after outfit as she answered the same boring questions from a never-ending slew of reporters. After that torture she was forced to spend several hours practicing each song in her set list, striving for perfection. She only had three days until the first show of the tour, and the record label wanted her performance to be flawless.

"That was amazing!" Alexandra cheered, handing a breathless Mitchie a bottle of water as she finally stumbled off stage.

"Right," Mitchie gasped in between gulps. "That's why you're the only one watching." Her eyes scanned the empty auditorium.

"Oh, Mitchie, come on! Connect Three never shows up until two minutes before their turn to rehearse; you can't take it personal." Alexandra shrugged, but Mitchie wasn't convinced.

"I'm going to go get some air, okay? I'll be back in five." Mitchie handed her half-empty bottle to Alexandra and made a speedy exit out a side door. She reveled in the feeling of the fresh air hitting her tired lungs, closing her eyes as she took several deep breaths.

"Mitchie? Are you alright?" Mitchie opened her eyes to see Nate rushing towards her with a look of concern.

"What? Oh, I'm fine."

"Good, because Shane is right over there, and he's all alone!" Nate pointed to his friend who stood just off in the distance, clicking away on his cell phone.

"I, um, well," Mitchie stammered, feeling insanely nervous.

"Don't even start! This is your chance, there's no turning back now!" Before Mitchie knew what was happening Nate gave her a little shove, and it was as if her feet had a mind of their own. They carried her right to Shane, sending her mind into a panic. She only had a brief second to speak before she looked like a fool, but what to say?

"Hey." Shane's voice was cool and calm, shattering Mitchie's frenzy and removing a weight from her shoulders.

"Hey," Mitchie started slowly. "How's it going?" She wanted to hit herself; was that the best she had?

"Not too bad. How was rehearsal?" Mitchie couldn't believe that after everything she was standing there, talking to Shane. His eyes were just as piercing as she'd remembered, looking right through her.

"I'm exhausted; I don't know how you do it."

"You get used to it after a while," Shane assured. "So, how have you been?" It seemed too good to be true: he as actually expressing interest in her.

"I can't complain." Mitchie knew it was too soon, wasn't at all what Nate had in mind, but she needed to ask about Camp Rock while she had the chance. "Shane, I really need to talk to you about-" Shane's ringtone cut her off, his phone lighting up with Tess' picture.

"I really have to take this, but we can finish this later." Shane stated before answering the call and strolling away. The promise was disheartening, sounding so empty to Mitchie. She was ready to go claim defeat to Nate until a thought crossed her mind: the dinner Alexandra had mentioned. Sure, there no was no doubting Tess would be there, but she still felt hopeful. Shane had made thee first move in their conversation, and Mitchie knew there was no way she'd give up just yet.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! If you don't already, don't be afraid to tell me what you think of a chapter. Good or bad, it means a lot to me to hear what people have to say. I hope you like this chapter, and I hope to get more of both this story and "Gonna Get Caught" up in the near future. Thanks again, and please keep sending your reviews!_

Chapter Four

A wave of cautious optimism washed over Mitchie as she made her way back to Nate. It seemed as though the sun was shining a bit brighter, the world moving a bit faster because of the successful encounter.

"What happened??" asked an eager Nate as Mitchie approached.

"We talked." It was true, the first step of their plan had gone much better than Mitchie had expected, but she wanted to keep that fact a secret. After all the fights she'd put up, she didn't want to help him prove her wrong.

"You talked?" Nate gasped, lurching forward in anticipation. "You've got to give me more than that, Mitchie!"

"What is there to tell? You saw it all, I'm sure," Mitchie replied coyly.

"First of all, why are you here while Shane is all the way over there? That obviously can't be a good sign." Nate ran his fingers through his dark curls as he spoke. Had his plan totally tanked on the first day? There was no way he could ever live that down.

"Tess was calling him. Mitchie paused to grimace in unison with Nate at the thought. "But it went pretty well; I mean, he doesn't completely hate me, so that's a good thing."

"So…that's it? You guys talked for maybe a minute and that's that? Now what?!" Nate began pacing back and forth on his small square of sidewalk, the stress of the situation eating away at him.

"Excuse me, did you just say 'now what?' This was your plan, Nate; I thought you had everything all laid out!"

"Well, yeah, sure," Nate stumbled over his words. "I just planned on you guys actually having a conversation and becoming friends, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess so. It's a good thing we're all having dinner together tonight, because I'm supposed to finish my conversation with Shane there." Mitchie shrugged.

"Oh, my God, you let me freak out for no reason!" Nate cried.

"You're not really mad at me, are you? I just don't want to get my hopes up over nothing." Mitchie flashed a small smile as she spoke, hoping Nate understood.

"If I didn't like you so much-and hate Tess so much-I might be mad, but that's not the case." Nate glanced at his watch. "Shit, I'm late to rehearsal! I'd invite you to watch, but Shane is weird about that stuff."

"It's cool, I understand that," Mitchie said with a nod.

"I'm definitely telling Jason about this, and we're going to hang out with you before dinner, alright?" Nate called over his shoulder as he hustled back to the auditorium. Mitchie thought for a moment before taking off on her own to find Alexandra, deciding she could use a girl's help to get ready for the night.

Evening came much faster than Mitchie had hoped, and she felt utterly unprepared for her expected conversation with Shane.

"So, which one is it?" Alexandra asked as she watched Mitchie touch-up her eye shadow for the hundredth time.

"What?" Mitchie set down her makeup brush and studied the reflection of her assistant in the mirror.

"Which one of those boys are you going to all this trouble for, Nate or Jason? I bet it's Nate; every time I turn around I see you two together!" Alexandra's eyes lit up a bit at the thought of her assumed love match.

"I think you have the wrong idea, Alex," Mitchie sighed, turning around. "Nate and Jason are my friends, that's all. They're the first friends I've had in a long time, and they're taking very good care of me on this tour." She rose from her chair and stepped into her shoes at the end of her hotel bed.

"Well, if it isn't Jason or Nate…I think Mitchie has a thing for Shane! Not a terrible choice, if I may say so myself."

"This is all too much," Mitchie said, quickly not shy at all about changing the subject. "All these gifts, the hotel room; I don't think I'm worth any of the trouble." Her eyes fell first on the expensive ballet flats adorning her feet, examining them for a moment before scanning the large suite the record label had provided for her.

"Look at you, trying so hard to take the attention off of Shane! It is him, isn't it? You know, Mitchie, girl-to-girl I'm going to tell you that's a bad idea." Alexandra shook her head, but the smile on her face wouldn't fade.

"You really don't have to worry about it, because that's wrong." Mitchie scoffed as she picked up her purse from the bedside table. "Don't we need to leave?"

"I've been interning at the label for almost a year now, and I've learned that Tess isn't someone you want to upset." Mitchie looked back to glare at her assistant who apparently couldn't drop the topic.

"I spent a whole summer with Tess; I know very well what it's like to be on her bad side. That being said, I don't think I'm doing anything special to make her mad. Seriously, can we leave now?"

"Sure, we can go," Alexandra sighed as she stood up. "But hear me out for a second, please? It's obvious you like Shane, no matter how much you deny it, and I just don't want to see anything bad happen to you. You've talked about not having many friends and I'm in the same boat. I might be working for you, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends, too."

"I do think of you as a friend, Alex; most days you're all I have! I'm trying to figure everything out, that's all. Promise me you won't say anything about this to anyone, please?" Mitchie's tough shell had been shattered, and it was quiet a relief to finally admit her feelings. She reached out and pulled Alexandra into a hug, her sights still set on the door.

"Well then, let's go! I think you have a boy to get to, huh?" Alexandra broke away from Mitchie and pulled the door open, pushing her friend out of the room.

The conversations taking place in the hotel's dining room trickled out into the hallway, filling Mitchie with a growing feeling of anxiety.

"I'm not very hungry," Mitchie whispered as Tess' voice hit her ears.

"Mitchie, come on! If you don't go in there now, you'll always regret it." Alexandra grabbed her friend by the arm, refusing to let her turn and run. "And look, there's Nate!" Mitchie looked down the hall and spotted Nate slipping out of the dining room.

"There you are!" Nate exclaimed, his voice displaying great relief as he walked to meet the two girls halfway. "Let's get in there; we have…things to do."

"You don't have to be so weird, Nate; I told Alex about your little plan." Mitchie smiled as she nudged her assistant.

"Alright, as long as Tess doesn't find out, we'll be fine." Nate explained, ushering the two girls inside. In that moment Mitchie's stomach sunk further than she'd ever thought possible. How was she possibly going to manage to pull Shane away from Tess?

"Great, everyone is here! Let's order!" Jason said loudly as the three entered, casting far more attention on Mitchie than she would've liked. The dining room was filled with people-evidently, Connect Three had invited some of their friends-and it all felt a bit claustrophobic.

"Calm down," Nate said gently, noticing Mitchie's nerves. "We'll sit over here." He pointed to a table situated a safe distance away from Shane and Tess. Mitchie nodded her approval and took a seat. Nate motioned for Jason to join them, and the four sat in near-silence as they ordered and ate their food.

"Well, that was good…and awkward," Jason said at last, setting his fork down on his empty plate.

"What are you talking about, man? This was a very nice dinner, wasn't it, Mitchie?" Nate asked, but Mitchie didn't hear him. Her eyes were fixed upon Shane, just as they had been throughout the entire meal. it was impossible for her to take her attention away from Tess and Shane, their strange interactions, the way they seemed so completely mismatched. She wondered for a split second if that could ever be her sitting by his side, her hand resting on his as they laughed at a mutual friend's jokes.

"Earth to Mitchie!" Nate snapped his fingers in front of Mitchie's face in an attempt to bring her back to reality. "I asked you a question."

"Sorry, it was very good, Nate. I think it's time for me to get back to my room though, I have a really busy day tomorrow." Mitchie pushed her empty plate towards the center of the table and contemplated standing up to leave.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" Nate asked, shaking his head. "What happened to talking to Shane?"

"Tess has been glued to him the entire time I've been here," Mitchie sighed. "It's like she knows! There's no way I'll get anywhere near him tonight." "You just need a distraction," Jason said with a shrug, and the group fell in silence again as they considered his surprisingly good suggestion.

"I've got it," Alexandra said loudly after a moment. "This one's for you, Mitchie." She stood up and hurried across the room, not stopping until she stood directly in front of her apparent target.

"Can I help you?" Tess snarled at Alexandra, who gave one quick glance back to her friends before she spoke.

"I…heard Prada is having a huge sale tomorrow," Alexandra lied.

"What? Why are you telling me this?" Tess tapped her foot, skeptical.

"Well, Mitchie isn't really into high fashion, and I didn't want to waste this information. I mean, it's all pretty hush-hush. You know, insiders only."

"I am pretty fashionable…" Tess admitted. "So come on, give me the details!"

"Let's go over here and talk; I don't want just anybody hearing about this," Alexandra said as she ushered Tess away from Shane, and everyone realized that was Mitchie's cue.

"Get over there!" Nate hissed, pushing Mitchie to her feet.

"Seriously, don't make Alex suffer that torture for nothing," Jason advised. Mitchie looked at the two boys with apprehension, witnessing them both pointing across the dining room to their band mate. It was clear she had no choice but talk to Shane, dragging her feet as she made her way to the small crowd that contained him. She tried to talk herself down from her nervous state, but once she was within a few feet of him something clicked inside. There was no way she could just walk up to him, not when he was surrounded by all his friends. Of course, she couldn't go back to her table and risk angering the people that were trying to help her out. A wave of anxiety washed over her, making it impossible for her to move in either direction. All she could do was try to look busy, pray that she would go unnoticed until Tess returned and she could slink away in her failure.

"Mitchie?" A hand fell gently on Mitchie's shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Hmm?" Mitchie tried to shake off what had happened the second before, hoping she hadn't completely embarrassed herself.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Shane said as he removed his hand, and Mitchie saw him smile for the first time that week.

"Oh, no, it's fine," Mitchie said with a forced laugh. "I was just in my own little world, I guess."

"I know how that is. So, do you want to finish that conversation while we both have a free minute?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Mitchie nodded. "I didn't think you'd remember."

"Are you kidding? Shane Gray remembers everything!"

"That's what I'm worried about," Mitchie said under her breath.

"What was that?"

"I said…it's really loud in here," Mitchie said with a cringe, not very satisfied with her attempt to cover up her previous statement.

"Yeah, it is," Shane agreed. "Follow me." He slipped past his inattentive friends with Mitchie on his heels, leading her from the dining room into an adjacent sitting room.

"Much better, right?"

"Definitely," Mitchie sighed as she surveyed her surroundings.

"Alright, so what's on your mind?" Shane asked, and Mitchie realized he really wasted no time. Maybe it was best, she thought, to adopt his mentality for the time being and get right to the point.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Mitchie said quickly, her eyes on the ground.

"What do you have to apologize for?"

"The way things ended at camp…"

"Ancient history!" Shane exclaimed, sounding a little less than convincing.

"Do you really mean that, Shane? The way we left things, well, it was just ugly. I know this whole situation is awkward, and I could tell you didn't want this tour to happen, so I think we should just put it all out there." Mitchie gave her speech in one short breath, desperate to spit it out and be done.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" Shane placed a hand under Mitchie's chin to raise her eyes up again, pulling away once he realized his actions might be out of line. "Sorry, just don't be afraid to talk to me, okay?"

"It's not you I'm afraid of," Mitchie admitted.

"Who, Tess?? She comes on strong, I know that, but she's nothing to worry about. I thought we were talking about us, not her." Mitchie couldn't help but let her heart flutter as Shane referred to the room's occupants as 'us,' but retaining her composure was essential.

"I'll do my best not to be afraid," Mitchie promised as she tried not to blush.

"Good, I'll do my best not to let things be awkward. Sure, I wasn't totally sold on this tour from the start, but I'm trying to keep an open mind."

"Shane Gray keeping an open mind? Shocking!" Mitchie laughed, surprising herself with the courage to crack a joke.

"I know, don't tell my fans! I have an image to maintain," Shane said, flashing another smile. "I've learned this past year that things can change when you least expect it." Before Mitchie knew what was happening, Shane was moving closer to her, the smiles growing on both of their faces. A strange new feeling of happiness consumed her as he stopped with his mouth a mere inch away from hers, his breath warm on her lips.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to get an update on here, I've been really into some books I've been reading lately so they've kind of stolen my attention. I'm back though, and I'll hopefully be updating my other story "Gonna Get Caught" pretty quickly, so check that out as well. Please keep sending me your reviews, I love them! Thanks!_

Chapter Five

"Guys, are you in here?" Nate's voice was cool and calm as he pushed open the door, not bothering to wait for a response. He burst into the quiet room with a smile on his face, but his chipper demeanor quickly faded. He had witnessed, if only for a brief second, two of his tour mates sitting dangerously close to each other, and he shut the door swiftly to ensure no one else saw the same sight.

"Hey, Nate," Shane said, his voice a little shaky. The interruption had caused him and Mitchie to shoot apart, and there was now nearly a foot of space separating the two.

"Um…" Nate was momentarily at a loss for words, but he directed his surprised gaze at Mitchie. Her eyes met his for a quick second before looking away, lips pursed, feeling positively mortified.

It took Nate a second to rediscover his train of thought, but the words finally came back to him. "Shane, I think Tess is looking for you. Remember her, your girlfriend? Your sweet, delightful, charming-"

"I get the picture." Shane cleared his throat, his eyes flipping around the room in a distressed manner. "Maybe I should get back out there. I'll see you around, Mitchie." He hesitated, lingering in his exit far longer than what was appropriate. Reaching out to touch her hand, or perhaps her cheek, was a tempting yet awful idea in the presence of Nate. Mitchie thought she could sense what he desired, and was oddly thankful they were no longer alone. It was almost certain her heart would stop if anymore contact was made between the two.

"Goodnight," Mitchie said, one octave above a whisper. Something told her she wouldn't be seeing Shane again that night.

"Please tell me I didn't' see what I think I saw," Nate sighed the instant his band mate cleared the room.

"You saw it all," Mitchie shrugged. "You swooped in at just the right moment-perfect timing." Her words dripped with sarcasm, and Nate fought back his exasperation. Didn't he suffer this type of attitude enough, constantly living with Shane?

"What were you thinking?"

"Well, he just looked so nice tonight…" Mitchie chattered, a dreamy tone carrying her words as she recalled Shane's perfect arms, the way his jacket fit just so.

"That's what this whole incident was about, a little crush you managed to develop overnight? This is bad." Nate paced back and forth, tugging on his curls in an attempt to control his stress.

"I thought this was what you wanted." Mitchie crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"He still has a girlfriend," Nate reminded.

"Well, I don't understand what you expect of me. This 'little crush' isn't what you think; Shane and I made a real connection at Camp Rock."

Nate grimaced as Mitchie spoke-it was far worse than he could've imagined. "I'm beginning to consider this all a bad idea. I really think it's too much, too soon for you."

Several emotions consumed Mitchie at once. She felt confusion, fury, and, strongest of all, unadulterated panic. "What do you mean? I can handle this; I'm completely fine." There was no way they could cut their plan short, not when things were on the up turn.

"I have some serious thinking to do, but Jason should probably be in on any changes. for tonight, we just need to get out of here." Nate extended his hand.

"What?"

"Now that Tess knows something is up, she's going to be watching you. Don't be stubborn, let me hold your hand!" Nate eyed Mitchie's still-crossed arms.

"What good will that do?" Mitchie demanded, her grasp on herself unwavering.

"You don't want to make Tess suspicious," Nate warned. "So don't flatter yourself, I'm just doing the only thing I can to save you from this mess." He wiggled his fingers impatiently. Mitchie considered being insulted, but her new friend appeared to be nearly out of patience.

"Good choice. Try to look happy," Nate instructed as Mitchie slipped her hand begrudgingly into his.

The couple made their reentry into the dining room, and Nate had been right when he predicted an audience. Several pairs of eyes flashed upon them as they shuffled back to their table, the most glaring set belonging to Shane's girlfriend.

"Tess is giving you her death glare," Jason hissed as his friends returned to their seats. Mitchie gulped and pulled her hand from Nate's, not daring to look over her shoulder.

"With good reason," Nate said, irritated.

"Oh, come on, that plan was flawless! At least until tomorrow when Tess finds out there's no sale." Alexandra feigned a pout, assuming Nate was bad-mouthing the distraction she'd created a few minutes earlier.

"It's not that," Nate promised. "There's just a hitch in the plan I wasn't expecting. You two should go get some sleep-" he motioned to Mitchie and Alexandra. "I'll come find you before rehearsal tomorrow."

Mitchie climbed out of the seat she'd taken only a moment before, pulling Alexandra up with her. "See you guys later," she managed to mumble. Jason watched his small group of friends disband with confusion, but he figured his band mate would provide him with all the details.

"What just happened?" Alexandra finally had the courage to ask once the girls were in the safe privacy of the hallway.

"I don't really want to talk about it." "That bad, huh? I'm sorry Mitchie; sometimes things-"

"Everything went fine with Shane! It's Nate that's the problem." Remembering the unwelcome interruption caused Mitchie to scowl.

"Well, come on, tell me all about it!" Alexandra urged as she steered Mitchie towards her room to collect all the details.

Just as promised, Mitchie was dragged to a discussion about the plan the next day.

"I'm here," she announced grimly as she slinked into Nate's room with Alexandra in tow.

His phone call had jarred her from an uncomfortable night of sleep. "We need to talk." Had the words come as they did under normal circumstances-in a relationship, from one partner to the other-they would be a great cause of concern, but this was all very different. The short, concise sentence only signaled a shift in the plan, but whether that was bad or good was still up in the air.

Both Nate and Jason had made themselves comfortable in the room, sitting quietly but impatiently in their respective chairs.

"Hungry?" Jason motioned to the platter of room service breakfast on the bedside table. Clearly, the boys knew Mitchie had transferred straight from bed to their little meeting.

"Not even remotely," Mitchie stated. "Can we just get to it? You wanted to talk, so talk." She directed her words at Nate, wishing he'd just spit it out.

Mitchie and Alexandra took the direction, moving from the doorway to sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the edge of the bed.

The room fell silent, and the suspense cut through Alexandra. "Somebody say something!" Her cheeks immediately blushed a fiery red, unsure if it was even her place to speak in such a situation.

"Alright, alright," Nate obliged. "This plan…" His voice trailed off, not certain how to continue.

"What?" Mitchie's patience had faded long ago, replaced by immense anxiety.

"Well, it's taken an unexpected turn," Nate admitted with apprehension.

The broad assessment of the situation crated a sense of panic within Mitchie. Was Nate trying to imply that they needed to stop what they were doing? If that was the case, well, he would be smart not to hold his breath. The plan might've been his to begin with, but she honestly no longer needed his help. There was no way she was going to give up on Shane, not after the taste of success she'd had the previous night. If Nate no longer wanted to offer his assistance, that was fine. Mitchie would risk going it alone.

"Are you trying to suggest we stop?" she finally demanded.

"Not necessarily." Nate stiffly cleared his throat.

"Then what's the point?" Mitchie asked, a little softer this time. She suddenly realized she was gripping the thick comforter tightly, her knuckles a glaring shade of white.

"We just need to rethink the way we-I mean, you-go about things." Nate took note of Mitchie's tense posture. "We definitely don't want to see you crash and burn," he added.

Mitchie loosened her grip, curious. "I still don't get it."

"Tess knew something was up last night, and she's probably not going to take it very well," sighed Nate. "Unfortunately, we've spent a lot more time with her than you have, and we know how she can be."

"Jealous, vengeful," Jason continued the thought. "Evil."

It was true, Mitchie had only spent a couple months with Tess compared to Connect Three's years, but she knew what her friends were trying to say. Getting on Tess' bad side was what had landed them all here in the first place! Maybe it was in her best interest to take the advice she was being offered.

Tell me what I need to do," Mitchie sighed, surrendering.

Nate contemplated for a moment, tapping out a beat on his ever-present notebook. He glanced over at Jason, but his band made could only shrug.

"You just have to play it by ear and let Shane make the next move," Nate decided. "Figuratively speaking, of course. Do not try to kiss him again."

A bright blush swelled on Mitchie's cheeks, and she wished the whole room didn't have to hear about her every mistake. But was that what their almost kiss was? Not in her eyes, but she didn't' seem to share the common opinion. Her blind outrage from earlier was gone, and she now realized she couldn't really move forward without her new friends.

"Fine, fine," Mitchie mumbled. "I need to get ready for rehearsal."

"Yeah, come on, Mitchie." Alexandra, who had been totally silent for the rest of the talk in an attempt to remain neutral, rose to her feet and pulled Mitchie up with her. The rushed out of the room without a second look at the boys, both unsure how to shatter the awkward atmosphere.

Several hours after the meeting, Mitchie stumbled off the rehearsal stage in a breathless haze. Her three friends on the tour erupted into applause from their seats in the second row of the arena.

"Knock it off, guys!" Mitchie exclaimed between huffs. She struggled to keep a smile on her face, her mood sinking fast. Once again, Shane couldn't be bothered to make an appearance. She knew that he never showed up early to such things, but a part of her wished he'd reconsider after the events of the previous night. After all, she was pretty sure he'd never heard her sing; didn't he want to know if his opening act was any good?

"Our turn!" Jason said with excitement, pulling Mitchie from her thoughts.

"If Shane ever shows up, that is," Nate grumbled.

Mitchie visibly cringed a little at the mention. It was probably a good thing Shane was nowhere to be found-she had on idea how she was allowed to interact with him now. "Have fun, boys," she said coolly. "I'm just going to go wander around for a while. You can stay and watch if you want, Alex."

"Are you sure, Mitchie? I don't have to if you don't want me to, honestly!"

Alexandra's half-hearted attempt at protesting was wasted-Mitchie was already gone. She decided to explore the arena while she had a free moment, knowing the following day marked the official start of the tour.

A sharp corner in the corridor lead to a hallway Mitchie had never been down, sparking her curiosity. Only one door stood a few yards away, and as she moved closer she saw it begin to creak open. She was seized quickly by fear, expecting someone to burst from the room and scold her for being where she clearly didn't belong.

An instant later, however, Mitchie was left wishing desperately to be scolded. To be in trouble was far more desirable than the situation presented to her in reality.

The sight before her was Tess strutting from what was apparently a dressing room, a grin plastered across her face. Shane filed out after her, looking around sheepishly as he fumbled with the zipper of his pants.

"Oh, hi Mitchie!" Tess said aggressively.

"Hey," Mitchie mumbled. Her stomach turned violently, and she hurried off down the hall before she gave the pair the satisfaction of witnessing her discomfort.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Shane sighed as he watched Mitchie flee the scene.

"It's fine!" Tess insisted, extremely gratified. "Go do your thing, and I'll wait for you in the bus." She stood on her tiptoes to give Shane a kiss before pulling him in the direction of the stage. She left him in the care of his glaring band mates and then strolled to the tour bus.

Bored and alone, she flipped on the satellite TV on the bus in search of entertainment. She shuffled aimlessly through the channels until something caught grabbed her attention. A familiar face flashed across the screen, one she was already tired of seeing.

"Ugh."

Mitchie was in control of the program Tess had settled on, a special about her quick rise to fame. Was she really that important? Tess hadn't even bothered to notice. All she saw was an undeserving girl living her dream, doing all the things Tess should've been.

"Tess, are you in here?" Shane called before climbing into the bus.

"Right here!" Tess rushed to turn off the TV before Shane could see what she was watching. She hadn't realized such a long stretch of time had passed, too consumed with her jealously to watch the clock.

"What were you watching?" Shane asked as he fell back onto the couch.

"Nothing interesting," Tess lied. The truth was that Shane could never see the program she'd been watching-it would ruin everything! The glue holding their relationship together was the fact that he'd never heard Mitchie sing, never found 'the girl with the voice' he'd searched for back at Camp Rock. She had on clue how to avoid that once the concerts started, but Tess always seemed to find a way…


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note: Wow..I feel like I've probably lost quite a bit of my readers because of the gap in between updates, and I feel really bad that this took me so long. Honestly, my interests are shifting and it's hard for me to write as fast as I once did. I'm trying as best I can to get updates for both of my stories up in a timely manner. If you've stuck around for the entire story to date, I really, truly appreciate you. Please keep sending me your reviews, they'll only help me update faster! Thank you all!_

Chapter Six

"Mitchie? Are you awake in there?"

A light hand tapping on the door accompanied the voice filtering into the hotel room.

"Come on, Mitchie, let me in!"

Three more raps on the door-thump, thump, thump.

"I know you have a key, Alex," Mitchie said as loudly as her half-asleep body would allow.

The electronic lock beeped softly, and a second later the door creaked open. "Just trying to be polite."

Mitchie rolled over to face her friend but kept her head on the pillow, too warm under the blankets to not be annoyed by the early morning disturbance.

"Whoa," Alexandra laughed as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "That's one serious case of bed head you've got going on." She pointed to Mitchie's hair as it laid in every direction.

"what are you doing here so early?" Mitchie groaned, trying to ignore her friend's comment. "It's not even nine o'clock, and this is my last day to do nothing."

That afternoon was the final rehearsal before the kick-off of the tour the following day, and Mitchie had been looking forward to her last free morning.

"You didn't really want to spend your morning laying around, did you?" Alexandra asked with sincerity.

"That was the plan…" Mitchie begrudgingly sat up and leaned back against the headboard. Her eyes fell on her assistant who was currently wearing an excited grin. "…but obviously the plan has changed."

Alexandra's eyes lit up as she was given permission to explain. "Well, I was down by the vending machines getting a drink when I ran into Nate and Shane-"

"You talked to Shane?" Mitchie interrupted.

"I knew that would get your attention, and no," Alexandra shook her head. "Tess wasn't with them." She crossed her arms contently and waited; she didn't want to do all of the work.

Seconds passed, and the rest of the story never came.

"That's it?!" Mitchie cried at last.

"Not hardly," Alexandra snorted. "I just wanted to make sure you're listening."

"Alex, I'm listening! I'm on the edge of my seat, so spill it now!"

The two girls sat in tense silence until Alexandra finally spoke. "They invited to go to the beach with them today!"

The beach-the sun, the bright blue water, the warm sand-sounded awfully enticing in Mitchie's mind. Being in public in a swimsuit, especially with Shane around, wasn't quite as desirable.

"That's probably not a good idea."

"Hey," Alexandra said, sensing the hesitation. "The boys thought ahead! They had the label send you and me a ton of swimsuits-there's got to be something you like in here." She set a large shopping bag on the bed and pushed it diplomatically towards the headboard.

Mitchie glared at her assistant, feeling ambushed, but decided it couldn't hurt to take a peek. She dipped her hand into the paper bag and pulled out the top of a bikini.

"They expect me to wear that? Absolutely not."

"Keep looking," Alexandra urged.

Sighing, Mitchie began to dig through the bag once more. One-by-one she pulled out pieces and tossed them aside as she deemed them unacceptable. She was about to concede to defeat when her eyes fell upon the last remaining suit.

"It's perfect," she admitted, holding it up to take a better look.

Alexandra smiled smugly. "I know you'd find something in there. Now get up and get ready, they want to leave in an hour!" She jumped to her feet with a smile and yanked Mitchie out from under the covers, pulling her towards the bathroom to get ready.

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Mitchie stepped out into the main room of her hotel suite, an unsure look on her face. "This isn't pretty, Alex."

"I think you look great," Alexandra scoffed. "But if you're worried, you can put this on." She tossed a thin sundress at her friend.

"Wow, you really have this all planned out." Mitchie observed. She pulled on the dress, immediately feeling more comfortable. If she could muster the courage to do everything she'd done so far, maybe she could handle this day with Shane.

"I didn't want to give you a reason to say no," Alexandra said, holding open the exit.

"So it's just you, me, Nate, and Shane" Mitchie tried her hardest to hide her excitement as the two filed down the hallway.

Alexandra picked up her pace and took a deep breath, waiting until they stood in the privacy of the elevator to respond. "Jason will be there, and Tess-:

"TESS?!" Mitchie's angry voice bounced off the metal walls. "Why did you lie to me?"

"Mitchie, calm down! I didn't lie to you, I just knew you wouldn't agree to come if you knew Tess was coming with us."

"And why do you think that is, Alex? I don't want anything to do with her! I'm going back to my room." Mitchie reached for the button panel, but Alexandra pushed her hand away.

"Hear me out," her friend pleaded. "You like Shane, but, for some strange reason, Shane likes Tess."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working."

"I'm not done!" Alexandra continued. "You've got to fight for what you want, Mitchie. All of your friends are rooting for you, but we can only do so much. You need to go to that beach and show him what he's missing! At least, that's what I think."

A long, awkward silence blanketed the elevator, and no one dared to break it.

"If anything goes wrong, I'm going to kill you," Mitchie warned as the elevator came to a stop and its doors slid open.

"I knew you'd make the right choice!" Alexandra rejoiced. She flung an arm around Mitchie's shoulder and guided her across the hotel lobby. "Let's go, our ride is waiting."

The pair emerged into the bright sunshine, noticing two black SUVs parked next to the curb. The back window of the second car rolled down slowly, revealing a familiar face.

"Hey ladies!" Jason laughed. "Get in!"

The back door clicked open and Mitchie piled in after Alexandra.

"Where are Shane and Tess?" She choked slightly on the second name as she took her seat beside Nate.

"They're in the car in front of us," Nate explained. He recognized the look of disappointment Mitchie was trying to mask. "Just sit back and relax, the best beach is only a few minutes away."

The car ride was quick as promised, the small caravan arriving at its destination before Mitchie had time to really setting into her worries. The four friends from the second car shuffled across the sand until they found a suitable spot to set their chairs.

"Are those two even going to hang out with us?" Alexandra sneered as she fell back into her chair. Her eyes were fixed on Shane and Tess who had run ahead of the group and were already playing several yards away in the surf.

"Doubtful," Nate sighed. "No one else exists when those two are together."

The idea was a painful one for Mitchie to swallow. She tried to shake the thought as she claimed her seat between Nate and Alexandra. Her assistant was already wrapped up in a conversation about the tour with Jason, leaving her only one distraction.

"So, what's their story?" Mitchie leaned over to casually pose the question, her gaze never leaving the ocean.

"Shane and Tess? You really want to do this now?" Nate sighed. He had foolishly thought he might spend his free morning in peace.

"I'm expected to spend every day for the next month with them, maybe even try to break them up, so I think it's only fair that I know what I'm up against."

"Breaking them up is such a nasty way to put it," Nate objected, but Mitchie had turned to stare pleadingly at him. "Okay, fine! They've been together since the day they ditched Camp Rock, and I mean together: I can't remember the last day they spent apart. Tess goes everywhere we do, and, unfortunately, her mom is too busy to care."

"Is he happy?" Mitchie watched as Shane picked up Tess and tossed her gently into the waves, both of them laughing. As much as she despised Tess, she would feel awful guilty interfering with a genuinely good thing.

Nate shrugged. "I've seen him happier, but most of the time she seems to do the trick."

"That's all you have to say?" Mitchie was dying for more information, anything she could get.

"Honestly, Shane doesn't' discuss her with me," Nate admitted. "He doesn't talk about it with Jason either, so don't even bother. If you want the real scoop, you'd have to go to the source."

Mitchie shook her head and nervously tightened her ponytail. "Like that'll ever happen."

"Do you want to have some fun?" Nate asked quickly, trying to change the subject for the better.

"I guess that's what we're here for; what do you have in mind?"

"The next step in the plan."

"Oh, we're still going ahead with that?" The tone of her voice suggested Mitchie was interested.

Nate tapped his ever-present notebook and nodded. "Oh yeah, it's still in motion. The next step is for you to steal Shane's attention away from Tess, and to keep it. If you manage to get yourself on his mind you'll have your foot in the door."

Mitchie pondered the challenge for a long moment and then hopped to her feet. It was about time she took a risk. "Okay, let's do it!"

She had commanded the attention of all three seated friends, their eyes on her as she reluctantly peeled off her dress.

"Do you think that'll work?" Alexandra reached across the empty chair to nudge Nate.

Mitchie stood before them in the swimsuit she'd chosen, feeling undeniably insecure. It was a retro cut, one-piece in a deep shade of blue, the heart-shaped neckline revealing just enough.

"Absolutely," Nate agreed. "Let's go!" He stood up and took Mitchie by the wrist, leading her across the warm sand.

"Laugh, act happy," he instructed, whispering in her ear as their feet hit the water. She nodded softly and gave a wink in return.

"Oh, Nate!" Mitchie laughed loudly as the two moved deeper into the ocean.

The sudden outburst caught the attention of Shane and Tess, though they didn't dare interrupt. Nate noticed his band made staring unabashedly at Mitchie, a fact that pleased him. He spun Mitchie around a few times until the sight became too much for Tess.

"Come on," Shane's jealous girlfriend commanded. "We need to go."

"We just got here!" Shane tore his eyes away from Mitchie to look at a very angry Tess.

"Yeah, well, you have rehearsal!"

Shane couldn't help but be confused by the whole situation0Tess had never before cared about his schedule. Still, he allowed her to drag him out of the water ,looking back for one last glimpse at beautiful Mitchie.

Mission Accomplished.


End file.
